Paper feeding mechanism



March 1953 D. w. REED, JR 2,827,289

' PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM INVENTOR. DAVID W. REED JR March 18, 1958 D. w. REED, JR

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 25, 1955 INVEN TOR DAVID W. REED JR.

AGEN

March 18, 1958 D. W. REED, JR 2,827,239

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 25, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG: .3-

INVEN TOR.

DAVID W. REED JR,

AGEN

March 11s, 1958 D. w. REED, 2,827,289

. PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 25, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4.-

-F1G 5c T16; 5d

DAVID W. REED JR.

IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM David W. Reed, In, Endicott, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 25, 1955, Serial No. 530,583

13 Claims. (Cl. 271-29) The present invention relates to a device which will remove papers from a stack of papers, one paper at a time, and is adapted to feed sheets of paper in succession to other apparatus such as printing mechanisms and the like.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a paper feeding mechanism which comprises a vacuum type take-off, the take-off functioning to peel a portion of the bottom or outermost sheet from a stack of papers, the sheet so partially separated being thereafter removed in its entirety from the stack.

Another principal object of the present invention resides in providing, in a paper feeding mechanism, a vacuum type take-off device of the foregoing character and including novel means for obtaining rolling motion to eifect the peeling 01f of a sheet.

A further object of the present invention resides in providing, in a paper feeding mechanism, a vacuum type take-off device of the foregoing character wherein a simple and limited reciprocating movement is all that need be provided to the device to effect the separation of a sheet in its entirety from the stack.

Another object of the present invention resides in providing, in a paper feeding mechanism, an improved vacuum type take-E device which is simpler to construct, easier to service and quieter in operation.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide in a paper feeding mechanism, an improved vacuum type take-off device which maintains improved registration of the sheet by peeling it into the bite of take-away feed rolls before the sheet has left the hopper.

More particularly, the invention provides a paper feeding mechanism comprising a hollow arcuate vacuum chamber on which a stack of papers may rest, said chamber having port openings therein adjacent the stack for effecting a partial separation of the bottom or outermost sheet from the stack. Additionally, there is provided a mechanism of this character comprising a sheet or curtain wrapped around the arcuate surface of said chamber and having port openings in registry with the port openings in the chamber, and wherein the chamber is cam driven along a line parallel to the plane of the stacked sheets, the curtain sliding forward over the arcuate surface of the chamber to peel a sheet from the bottom of the stack. The invention further provides a paper feeding mechanism of the foregoing character including take-off rollers which follow the reciprocating motion of the suction chamber for feeding partially separated sheets entirely from the stack. 7

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial plan view of a machine embodying the present invention. a

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1 to illustrate various driving instrumentalities.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view of the vacuum cham ber showing details of the elbow connector and seal.

Figs. 5a5d are a series of diagrammatic views illustrating the manner of operation of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. l, the machine embodying the present invention comprises a frame having side members and 11 and a rear member 12. Joining the side members is a plate 13 which forms a partial baseplate of a hopper for holding a stack of paper sheets, said hopper also including a pair of side plates 14 fastened to the baseplate and a front plate 15 fastened to the side plates. In the embodiment illustrated the vacuum type take-01f is shown as a casting comprising a hollow cylinder portion 16 and a plenum chamber portion 17 connected to a vacuum supply pipe 18 through a flexible seal connector 19. The vacuum supply pipe is fastened to the side member 10 and communicates with a suitable source of vacuum through a control valve 20.

The cylinder 16 is in part perforated, being provided with a plurality of slotted openings or ports 21 which extend from the top of the cylinder peripherally thereof for approximately 45 degrees. The ports are arranged to underlie the leading unsupported portion of the stack of sheets, the stack of sheets being supported rearwardly by the hopper baseplate 13 and the top of cylinder 16. l The vacuum take-off casting is supported in the front by a shaft 22 (Fig. 3) extending through the cylinder 16, the shaft 22 being rotatable on end bearings 23 and spacers 24 mounted in a pair of housing members 25 (-Fig. 1). The housing members are slideably mounted on a pair of rods 26 fastened to the side members of the machine to facilitate reciprocation of the cylinder and plenum chamber. Rearward support for the casting is provided by a lever arm 27 (Fig. 2) and a bellcrank member 28 which are pivoted to opposite sides of the plenum chamber by a pin connection 29.

' The lever arm 27 and bellcrank member 23 are fixed on opposite ends of a pivot shaft 30 rotatable in the side members of the machine and the bellcrank member carries two rollers 31 which are acted upon by a pair of complementary cams 32 fixed on a shaft 33 rotatably mounted in the side members of the machine. The cams, bellcrank member and lever arm serve as a means to reciprocate the vacuum take-off unit back and forth along a line, indicated at 34 in Fig. 5b, which is parallel to the plane of the paper sheets in the hopper. The drive for shaft 33 is taken from a motor 35 having a motor shaft 36 connected to the shaft 33 by any suitable clutch member 37. Feed roll drive connections are established with shaft 33 through a gear 38, fixed on shaft 33 and which drives an idler gear 39 rotatable on a stud 40 fixed to the side member 11. Idler gear 39 drives another idler gear 41 rotatable on a stud 42 which in turn serves to drive one of a pair of gear feed rolls 43 (Fig. 2) rotatable on each half of a split shaft 44 fixed to the side members of the machine. Gear feed roll 43 drives a gear 45 fixed on a shaft 46 rotatable in the side members of the machine, said shaft carrying a pair of feed rolls 47 which cooperate with the feed rolls 43 to feed a separated sheet. A gear 48 fixed on the other end of shaft 46 serves to drive the other gear feed roll 43. v

Pivoted at each end of the split shaft 44 is a link 49, the pair of links 49 serving to rotatably support a shaft 50 which carries a pair of take-away feed rolls 51. A gear (Fig. 1) fixed on shaft 50 is driven from one of the gear feed rolls 43 through an idler gear 53 rotatable on a stud 54 fixed to one of the links 49, said gear V project the'leadingedg of the s curtain and tlie'sheet is a free'niotioii obtained-by siiiiply the Bottom; sheet: vh he ti k: by fee mil 1 sufiicientlyto allow the trail g edg 55 (Fig. 1) servingto drive a gear 56 fixed on the Vcylinder shaft 22. The shaft 22 carries a pair of takeaway feed rolls 57 which cooperate with the rolls 5 1 and the roIls SI are urgeddnto contact- {with rollsihS'Z throughout; the? reciprocatofylmovenient of the cylinder and'pl'enum chm ber by a pair of sp'rings58 extending between the links 59 and the housing members 25 The rolls 57 rotate within recessed portions of the chamber and a suitahle: sealing connection is" provided between shaft 22' and the chamber toprev ent loss of thevacuum.

lThe'novel; means for? obtaining a rolling or sliding motion' to efiect the peelingo if of a sheet from the sta'ck in clude s a 'plastic' sheet or curtain- 59 wrapped around thei su tQl'l' cylinder 16" and having slots oppofts '60 a plate ember 62'which serves as an arichor foi a -pair' ofsprings'li;

nectiori as at 65; Pig- 2. hearing" 64 are connected;

to the p len'urii chamber'17 through a pair of links 66 which are pivoted to the arms by pin connections'67'a'n d to each side oftlie chambei by piri comedians; ltfc aiig'be seen that as the cylinder 16 is recipi-ocated bacli the cui'ta'in will move-back with the'cylir der the curtain in effect slidingiforwa d over the arcuate surfaceofthe cylinder to advance ajpartially' separated As;

liariiber moves back the abovefdes'cri lied di wetfie thew ta Wi i 919% be k a -IQ tee t j s nst et t n p. 63 andinsures" proper movement" of the 4, it may be se e'n that the movemeat oft e vacuum take ofi 'device'isrtaken up in the coniiqictor" a by" allowing plr'iur'ii chamber to slide in a sealing ring 7Q nerdagainst the" inset an ed surface 71 of the en. nec'tor' by a retainingplate 72, A clearance space 7 3 is provided to anew for vertical movement of the ring 70 as the take-off unifrec'iprocates'.

In operation, as sho n in Figs; Sa -Sd', the staclt of papers will res't'uponithehop of the curtain 59; and the cylinder 16; vacuum suppliecl to" th interior of thef cylindei will caus a portion" of the' lower 0st" sheet ofpap'er to separat'e' from the b oftheis tack,

the stack and wrapped around the arcuate surface of the cylinder in overlapping relationship with the first sheet.

for piabian'i the like comprising a hollow curved-surface member, a flexible cover- 7 ing for said memben means for supporting said covering in wrap a'rou'nd fashion on the curved surface of id m nipgsaia oveiiiigfandm'e'iiibeif iiiclndii g 1r lurality of slotsin registry providing commun cation between the xterior aiidiiiteriof'of;said riifiibr; means for supportingastack of papers in part on said coyering andrnerilher with tli' u fisfippoftied ends o f sa'id papers adjacent said slats; ri'ia'ri s ferpiaeifig' interior of said'm'em ber under a va'c'iu'uiii} and of said covering ar (street a time ream" said Sacra the tubular portion 69 of the in'g-fro'm" apoint adjacent'the apper ad ofthe registered? slots 21" and" 6!}, wrapp g th'e' separated portion of the sheefaround the arcua'te' siirftic e o f 'tlie c ylindef, as inFig.5a.-, y j

Next;- the cam 12' opei'ate tto move back along the? line' indi'c'ated a tj3f4 1 tiiik-eit time Fig 5b; during a which movement the paitiallyseparatedsheetandci rtain slide'as a unit over the arcua't'e 8 face f the"; cylinder to V I V etin olthe fe e'd rolls 51'. It will be noted that the sliding" forwar moving the take-off unit ba auxiliary feed device's" requir n are necessary to move the artially sepa' ra" v tive to the stationary afidflintotlie'f dr t Fig. 5c showsthevaiium'tak-off unit at the en of its rearward travel with the partiallyseparated sheet being transported by the talc way iedi r611 51 I which cooperate as" previously 'd escribedm connection a with Fig; 1'; a

LFie with?" e ep PmLP L l t ese i ev a portion of the next sheet is 1irime diately separated front 2. A feeding mchanisnilfoi' prising" a" hollow curve surfac member having a plurality of peripherally extending lofsltherein providing communicationtbefwnitli eite or and interior of said member; a flexible catering for said member including" a plurality of slots, means for supporting said'covering in wrap a'i'ofifiilli fa'filio dim" the? curved surface of said memuer with='the 's16t i the slots iiifsaid'membr; means for supporting 'a stack of papers iii part onfsa'idcoveringjand meinber withjhe' unsupported 'nds or said papers adjacent said{slots, means for placing the interior" of said-member under a va'euum to c ai is 'a portionot theehd paper to separate said stack and: adherejto said eov'e'r'ing, means for moving saidni'e riih'e'i, and means: for moving saidcov'ering around said"meiiibei t'ci'pe el'the" partially separated 4 nisiii tarpaii and the like comprising a euew carved-snaggemember having a pm rarity 6r peripherally eitte'ndifigslots therein wa ming 66 fiiililitlp b flillilf th' x ti'idf ilitiidi" of said member; a flexible covering for said member including afplurali of slots;- ni aiis for' supporti i'g'lsaid'coveringfol i155" fash if Qfi the (iil i'vied Siiifif lf' Said member with" the? 1ers iii said covering in" registry with p nfs'aid' meii bi', s for' s pporting a stack drpap s iii part onsai'd'c ng aridmember with the unsupportedsend of said papers adjacent said slots,-

meafis fer piactn' the interierf (if said" membr'under a" va'ciiuin' tocaus a ii'rtion Of the; end paper to separate from Said- S a-ck afieaea e to sa d severing, means for a moving s'aid meiiiber rearwardly' of said stack,and means grace; member; a flexible covering for said n ir'rib e'i", means fOfr supporting said covering in wrap-around fa'sliiorf on -th cui'ved s'urface of said member '21 qf slots" m registry a "d1providin'g communication be; tween th'e' ext'riof and interior ofsai'dfriienriber;means g asta K a'fid nimbeifwith the unsupported ends of said pap adjacent said slots, means fortplacing the interior offsaid 99 2 l r ,e'va wm t s ve a p' f 6f t ew apa? to separat' from-the" stack and dhere I aid covering, means for moving said niei'iilir remedy iiieaiisfo'r efiecting sliding motion 7 iid' said" member to remove papers 7 papei" arid the like? cemcovering in registry with for pa er; an the; like asa cover g rid member including moralityand substantially parallel to said papers and connecting means between said member and covering for causing said covering to slide around the surface of said memher during movement of the latter to peel the partially separated paper from the stack.

is 5. A feeding mechanism for paper and the like comprising a hollow curved-surface member, a flexible covering supported in wrap-around fashion on the curved surface of said member, said covering and member including a plurality of slots in registry and providing communication between the exterior and interior of said member, means for supporting a stack of papers in part on said covering and member with the unsupported ends of said papers adjacent said slots, means for placing the interior of said member under a vacuum to cause a portion of the end paper to separate from the stack and adhere to said covering, means for moving said member rearwardly and substantially parallel to said papers, means for fixing one end of said covering against move ment, and connecting means between the other end of said covering and said member for causing said covering to slide around the surface of said member during movement of the latter to peel the partially separated paper from the stack.

6. A feeding mechanism for paper and the like comprising a hollow curved-surface member having a plurality of peripherally extending slots therein providing communication between the exterior and interior of said member, a flexible covering for said member and including a plurality of slots, means for supporting said covering in wrap-around fashion on the curved surface of said member with the slots in said covering in registry with the slots in said member, means for supporting a stack of papers in part on said covering and member with the unsupported ends of said papers adjacent said slots, means for placing the interior of said member under a vacuum to cause a portion of the end paper to separate from said stack and adhere to said covering, a pair of driven rollers mounted with said member, a second pair of driven rollers mounted adjacent said first pair of rollers, and means for effecting sliding movement of said covering around the surface of said member to advance said partially separated paper between said rollers, said rollers being adapted to remove said paper entirely from the stack.

7. A feeding mechanism for paper and the like comprising a hollow curved-surface member having a plurality of peripherally extending slots therein providing communication between the exterior and interior of said member, a flexible covering for said member and including a plurality of slots, means for supporting said covering in wrap-around fashion on the curved surface of said member with the slots in said covering in registry with the slots in said member, means for supporting a stack of papers in part on said covering and member with the unsupported ends of said papers adjacent said slots, means for placing the interior of said member under a vacuum to cause a portion of the end paper to separate from said stack and adhere to said covering, a pair of driven rollers mounted with said member, a second pair of driven rollers adjacent said first pair of rollers, a movable support for said second rollers, means for moving said member and first rollers rearwardly of said stack, means connecting said movable support and said member to allow said second rollers to follow the movement of said first rollers and remain adjacent thereto, and connecting means between said covering and said member for causing said covering to slide around the surface of said member during movement of the latter to advance said partially separated paper between said rollers, said rollers being adapted to remove said paper entirely from the stack.

8. A feeding mechanism for paper and the like comprising a hollow curved-surface member, a flexible covering supported in wraparound fashion on the curved sur- III face 'of said member, said covering and member including a plurality of slots in registry and providing communica tion between the exterior and interior of said member, means for supporting a stack of papers in part on said covering and member with the unsupported ends of said' papers adjacent said slots, means for placing the interior of said member under a vacuum to cause a portion of the end paper to separate from the stack and adhere to said covering, means for moving said member rearwardly of said stack, means for fixing one end of said covering against movement, a yieldable connection between the other end of said covering and said member for causing said covering to slide around the surface of said member during movement of the latter to peel the partially separated paper from the stack, and means on said member for maintaining said yieldable connection under constant tension during movement of said member and covering.

9. A feeding mechanism for paper and the like comprising a hollow curved-surface member, a flexible covering supported in wrap-around fashion on the curved surface of said member, said covering and member including a plurality of slots in registry and providing communication between the exterior and interior of said member, means for supporting a stack of papers in part on said covering and member with the unsupported ends of said papers adjacent said slots, means for placing the interior of said member under a vacuum to cause a portion of the end paper to separate from the stack and adhere to said covering, means for moving said member rearwardly of said stack, means for fixing one end of said covering against movement, and connecting means between the other end of said covering and said member for causing said covering to slide around the surface of said member during movement of the latter to peel the partially separated paper from the stack, said connecting means including a pair of springs connected to said covering and linkage connected between said springs and said member for maintaining constant tension on said springs during movement of said member and covering.

10. A feeding mechanism for paper and the like comprising a hollow curved-surface member, a flexible covering supported in wrap-around fashion on the curved surface of said member, said covering and member including a plurality of slots in registry and providing communication between the exterior and interior of said member, means for supporting a stack of papers in part on said covering and member with the unsupported ends of said papers adjacent said slots, means for placing the interior of said member under a vacuum to cause a portion of the end paper to separate from the stack and adhere to said covering, means for reciprocating said member, means for fixing one end of said covering against movement, and connecting means between the other end of said covering and said member for causing said covering to reciprocate along the surface of said member during movement of the latter to separate papers one at a time from the stack.

11. A feeding mechanism for paper and the like comprising a hollow curved-surface member, a flexible covering supported in wrap-around fashion on the curved surface of said member, said covering and member including a plurality of slots in registry and providing communication between the exterior and interior of said member, means for supporting a stack of papers in part on said covering and member with the unsupported ends of said papers adjacent said slots, means for placing the interior of said member under a vacuum to cause a portion of the end paper to separate from the stack and adhere to said covering, means for reciprocating said member along a line parallel to the plane of said stacked sheets, means for fixing one end of said covering against movement, and connecting means between the other end of said covering and said member for causing said covering to reciprocate around the surface of said member during movement of -the 1atter to peel papers-brie -ata-tirne 1 2. A feeding-mechanism for paperfand thel-ikeazom prising a hollow curved-surface member, asfiexible coveri'ng supported-in wrap-around fashion 'enthe earved surface o'f said member; said cevering'a'nd memberiinclu'din-g aplurai it-y ofzslotsin-registry andproviding cemmunication between-the exterier and i-ntei'iorfef said member, means -for -suppor tinga stack ef pap'ers in part on s'aid covering and member with flie iansupprted' ends'waf said papers adjacent-said slots, means for placing the interier of said memberunder a yaeuum -to ca use a portionof the end paper *to separate {he stak and adhere td said covering, means "for reciprocating said member, means for fixing one-end-of saidcovering'against movement, connecting'nie anshetwen =the ether' end'of said covering and said member fer eausing=saidcovering to reciprocate alongihe sufiface ef saidmember, said covering moving in one 'd'ireetion te-pe'el isaid partially-separated'sheet; 'andauxiliary feedingime'ans fer removing said peeled sheet entirely from the stack, said covering moving in the opposite direction during said removal .to pesition the slots therein between-the slots in said member and a second paper..-in the stack for partially separating said second paper in overlapping-relation 'to said first paper. 7

" 13. Inasheet feeder ferteeding sheets ene ataa w from a; staek,;a hellaw euwedwurface member, a flexible curtain partially-wrapped around said member,=means tb' hold =.thestaek 6f sheets se thahonefind sheet-ef the stack bears against the wrapged porfiien of isaideunain; means "ta evacuate said member, {said member I and said curtain having registering slats SO-lflOfltEd-{With reference' to a marginal portion 0f said-'-'end=sheet- (if thestack that said marginalportim is drawn lay the vacuum -within said 'me'rriber against said curtain, means to anchor one end of said curtain adjacent thestaek, -means to reciprocate said meniber stibst-anti'ally parallel to the sheets' of :the "stack, and means uning on the opposite end efthe curtain-f0 hold if-in*centact-Wifhesziid member, whereby as said member 'meves-in -on'e direot-ionsaid eurtain follows and-slides arcundsaid memfbenand'said end sheet is peeled from 15 stack; V

References -Ci'ted in the iile or "this'patent- UNITED STATES PATENTS Halahan et a1. Mar. 15,1955 

